After enduring the summer of all summers at Anfield, Liverpool could still miss out on their top target amid interest from Real Madrid, who beat the Reds to Jude Bellingham back in 2023.

Isak delivers emphatic Liverpool statement

Alexander Isak was made to wait, but eventually he got his move. Arriving on deadline day in a deal worth around £125m, the Swede finally got his wish and will now be looking to go from a player on strike to a player back in action at his very best.

Joining Mohamed Salah, Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz and Cody Gakpo on Arne Slot’s list of attacking options, there’s a strong argument that Liverpool now have the strongest frontline in all of Europe. As such, it came as no surprise that Isak instantly set his sights on creating history in Merseyside.

Without their new star striker, Liverpool have not even got out of first gear but remain the only side in the Premier League with a 100% win record. Slot’s side needed late winners against Bournemouth, Newcastle United and, most recently, Arsenal as their rivals quickly became sick of the sight of the champions before the international break.

Now, those same rivals will be dreading the impact that Isak could make. It must be said, however, that he wasn’t the only top target on deadline day and after Liverpool hesitated, they’ve seemingly allowed Real Madrid to swoop in.

Real Madrid now eyeing Marc Guehi move

As relayed by reports in Spain, Real Madrid have now set their sights on signing Marc Guehi on a free deal when his current contract expires next summer. The defender looked destined for Anfield on deadline day after a deal was agreed and medical completed, before Crystal Palace pulled the plug in ruthless fashion.

Leaving the door for rivals to make their move when his contract expires, Liverpool could suffer an all too familiar hijack at the hands of Real Madrid. Of course, it wasn’t so long ago that the Spanish giants jumped ahead of the Reds to sign Jude Bellingham – who has thrived ever since – and pried Trent Alexander-Arnold away from Anfield this summer.

Isak can do the one thing for Liverpool that Haaland never did at Man City

The Swede could already hand the Reds one key advantage.

ByTom Cunningham Sep 2, 2025

Liverpool should be desperate to avoid a repeat and secure the arrival of Guehi once and for all, either in January or next summer. Described as “calm and composed” by former Manchester City defender Micah Richards, the Crystal Palace defender looks set to have a big decision to make when the time comes.

Surrey welcome chance to work with giants of IPL, but resolve to keep controlling stake

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Feb-2025Surrey have confirmed that they will be retaining their majority stake in Oval Invincibles, as they begin their period of exclusive negotiations with Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), the owners of Mumbai Indians, in the wake of last month’s Hundred equity sale.RIL secured a 49% stake in Invincibles, the reigning Men’s Hundred champions and the most successful team across genders in the tournament’s four-year history, after valuing the franchise at £123 million at a live auction on January 30.That means they are expected to pay just over £60 million for their equity share when the team ownership transfers from ECB to Surrey County Cricket Club at the end of 2025. This will be undertaken through negotiations with RISE Worldwide, Reliance’s subsidiary, which has been named as the club’s preferred partner from the 2026 season onwards.Mumbai Indians, five-times winners of the IPL, are widely seen as the most powerful IPL franchise, while Surrey are the richest English county club. The Invincibles’ men’s and women’s teams will become the sixth and seventh teams associated with RIL, after Mumbai Indians (in both the IPL and WPL), MI New York (MLC), MI Cape Town (SA20) and MI Emirates (ILT20).Related

Investors face live auction for in-demand Hundred franchises

Hundred investors express frustration at ECB's 'pure financial' motives

Sun Group secures 100% stake in Northern Superchargers

RIL, owned by the Ambani family, had been widely linked with buying a stake in London Spirit, but that franchise was eventually secured by a Silicon Valley tech consortium that valued the Lord’s-based franchise at £295 million.Up to five IPL teams could be involved in team ownership when the sales process is completed later this month. Last week, Sun Group – owners of Sunrisers Hyderabad – secured a 100% stake in Northern Superchargers for £100 million, while Sanjiv Goenka’s RPSG Group – owners of Lucknow Super Giants – expected to land a 70% stake in Manchester Originals when their negotiations are complete.Southern Brave is widely expected to be secured by GMR Group, co-owners of Delhi Capitals, who last year bought a groundbreaking majority stake in host county Hampshire, while the owners of Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals are among those who are understood to have shown interest in Nottingham-based Trent Rockets.Surrey, however, have reiterated their desire to keep hold of their controlling stake in Invincibles, while welcoming the chance to work with a franchise that has won 11 league titles across the globe, including at least one in each of the competitions they have competed in.Oli Slipper, Chair of Surrey CCC, said: “We said at the outset that we wanted the best partner to ensure that Surrey continue to lead the way in English cricket and in Mumbai Indians that is what we have got.”They share our passion for cricket, they own the biggest and most successful team in the IPL, the Mumbai Indians, and we believe this partnership will bring continued success to both Surrey CCC and our Hundred team.”Beyond cricket, the huge success of RIL’s global business will help Surrey to thrive off the field too. I couldn’t be more excited to welcome Mrs. Nita Ambani, Akash and his team as our new partners.”Mrs. Nita M Ambani, Owner of Mumbai Indians, said: “Cricket is more than just a sport, it’s a passion that unites people across geographies and cultures. Welcoming Oval Invincibles into our Mumbai Indians family is a proud and special moment.””England, with its rich cricketing culture, has always been special to the game,” Akash Ambani, Owner of Mumbai Indians, added. “To have the iconic Oval, which has witnessed some of cricket’s greatest moments, as our home venue is truly special.”

Manchester United and Sir Jim Ratcliffe splashed the cash in the 2025 summer transfer window, but who are the club’s current most expensive signings of all time?

Here at Football FanCast, we’ve taken a look at Man Utd’s most expensive additions in their famous history, as per Transfermarkt, with a detailed look at the top 10.

Man Utd’s most expensive signings of all time

Rank

Player

Fee

Signed from

Year

1

Paul Pogba

£89m

Juventus

2016

2

Antony

£81.3m

Ajax

2022

3

Harry Maguire

£80m

Leicester City

2019

4

Romelu Lukaku

£75m

Everton

2017

5

Jadon Sancho

£73m

Borussia Dortmund

2021

6

Bryan Mbeumo

£71m

Brentford

2025

7

Benjamin Sesko

£66.4m

RB Leipzig

2025

8

Rasmus Hojlund

£64m

Atalanta

2022

9

Matheus Cunha

£62.5m

Wolves

2025

=10

Angel Di Maria

£60m

Real Madrid

2014

=10

Casemiro

£60m

Real Madrid

2022

12

Bruno Fernandes

£56m

Sporting CP

2020

13

Mason Mount

£55m

Chelsea

2023

=14

Anthony Martial

£52m

AS Monaco

2015

=14

Leny Yoro

£52m

Lille

2024

16

Aaron Wan-Bissaka

£50m

Crystal Palace

2019

17

Lisandro Martinez

£48.3m

Ajax

2022

18

Fred

£47m

Shakhtar Donetsk

2018

19

Andre Onana

£43.5m

Inter Milan

2023

20

Manuel Ugarte

£42m

PSG

2024

Here's a detailed look at Man Utd's 10 most expensive signings: 10 Angel Di Maria £60m from Real Madrid

Back in 2014, Angel Di Maria put pen to paper on a five-year deal with Man Utd in what was at the time, a club and British transfer record.

The Argentine signed from Real Madrid under Louis van Gaal, but after just one season and 32 appearances, was sold to Paris Saint-Germain.

9 Matheus Cunha £62.5m from Wolves

One of three big-money signings in 2025, Matheus Cunha was the first addition ahead of Ruben Amorim’s first full season in charge at Old Trafford.

Man Utd triggered the £62.5m release clause in Cunha’s Wolves contract, with the Brazilian forward set to play in behind the striker.

8 Rasmus Hojlund £64m from Atalanta

The Red Devils won the race to sign Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta in 2023. The Denmark forward was just 20 years of age when he signed for the club and netted 10 Premier League goals during his debut campaign.

However, in 2025, Hojlund was allowed to join Napoli on loan with an obligtion to buy for £38m in 2026.

7 Benjamin Sesko £66.4m from RB Leipzig

Benjamin Sesko was brought in before Hojlund’s exit as the new main centre-forward for the Red Devils.

The towering Slovenia striker starred for RB Salzburg and RB Leipzig before heading to Manchester in an initial deal worth more than £66m.

6 Bryan Mbeumo £71m from Brentford

After starring in the Premier League with Brentford, Bryan Mbeumo swapped London for Manchester in a transfer worth £71m.

The versatile forward signed a five-year contract at Old Trafford which, providing he stays until 2030, will see him earn £39m in wages during his time with the Red Devils.

5 Jadon Sancho £73m from Borussia Dortmund

Jadon Sancho failed to make the desired impact at Old Trafford after being brought in by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2021.

Sancho has also had a frosty relationship with Erik ten Hag, with the Dutchman publicly saying the winger wasn’t being included in matchday squads due to his performances in training. In 2024/25, he headed on loan to Chelsea, and in 2025/26, joined Aston Villa for the season.

4 Romelu Lukaku £75m from Everton

Another big-money signing that didn’t work out for Man Utd was Romelu Lukaku, who signed from Everton in 2017.

The Belgian arrived at Old Trafford shortly after Wayne Rooney went the other way, however, Lukaku was on the move again just two years later, joining Inter Milan.

3 Harry Maguire £80m from Leicester City

Man Utd pipped Man City to the signing of Harry Maguire from Leicester City in 2019. The centre-back has since been a hot topic of conversation at Old Trafford but has remained a regular for the majority of the time.

He’s worked under a number of managers and even captained the Red Devils for a number of years before Erik ten Hag handed that responsibility to Fernandes in 2023.

2 Antony £81.3m from Ajax

The club splashed the cash on winger Antony to quickly reunite him with Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford.

The Brazilian starred under Ten Hag in the Netherlands, however, after moving to England, Antony struggled to make the same impact, not exactly living up to the huge fee, and signed for Real Betis for just over £20m in 2025.

1 Paul Pogba £89m from Juventus

Top of the list is Paul Pogba, who actually came through the academy at Carrington. The French midfielder eventually left for Juventus in 2012, but four years later, returned to Old Trafford in a huge £89m deal.

Pogba’s second stint in Manchester had plenty of ups and downs, and in 2022, he left when his contract expired.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras foi derrotado pelo Bahia por 1 a 0 na noite desta quarta-feira (21), na Arena Fonte Nova, em Salvador, pela décima primeira rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. Em entrevista coletiva após o confronto, o técnico Abel Ferreira lamentou as imagens inconclusivas em relação ao lance da finalização do atacante Artur, em que a bola supostamente teria entrado no gol adversário após falha do goleiro Marcos Felipe. Na ocasião, aos 45 minutos do primeiro tempo, o VAR checou a jogada, mas não validou o gol do Verdão.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasAbel leva em conta ‘injustiça’ na Data Fifa, mas vê outro motivo para a derrota do Palmeiras: ‘Não fomos eficientes’Palmeiras22/06/2023PalmeirasOLHAR DO PORCO: Faltou pontaria ao ataque do Palmeiras em derrota na BahiaPalmeiras22/06/2023PalmeirasVÍDEO: Os melhores lances da derrota do Palmeiras para o Bahia pelo BrasileirãoPalmeiras22/06/2023

+Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

– Espero que não hajam imagens confusas. Gostaria muito de chegar aqui para falar contigo e ter a certeza absoluta que a bola entrou e não tenho, como aconteceu contra o Atlético-MG em um impedimento ou não. A única coisa que eu peço é que quem comanda faça como nós fazemos, aprender com os erros para poder melhorar. Eu gostaria que em uma próxima vez houvesse uma imagem clara se a bola entrou ou não entrou – disse Abel Ferreira.

Além disso, o treinador português citou a jogada em que os jogadores do Alviverde pediram pênalti nos instantes finais do jogo alegando um possível toque na mão do adversário depois de cruzamento de Breno Lopes. O técnico do Verdão contestou que a Globo, emissora da partida, não transmitiu a repetição do lance. Ainda, Abel afirmou que muitos lances nos últimos anos ‘são contra o Palmeiras’, pedindo para que o VAR e a rede de televisão acertem melhor o ângulo das câmeras.

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– São muitos lances nos últimos anos, desde que estou aqui, se calhar são muitas vezes contra o Palmeiras, ou se sou eu que estou a ver mal. Gostaria de ver no último lance, quando o Breno Lopes cruzou a bola, que a Globo mostrasse a repetição, não mostrou, não sei o porquê, pode ser que não tinha a câmera lá.

– Pode ser que não tenha sido nada, mas para todos nós ficarmos com a certeza das imagens, porque o VAR está aí para ajudar, se são as imagens da Globo que vão para o VAR, que sentem à mesa e se definam qual o ângulo que devemos colocar as câmeras, para no final todos nós possamos valorizar aquilo que nós gostamos, que é o futebol – concluiu Abel.

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+ Justiça suspende ação de execução que o Palmeiras moveu contra a WTorre

Com a derrota, o Palmeiras fica com 22 pontos na classificação, mas permanece na segunda posição, um ponto atrás do Botafogo, que ainda joga na rodada nesta quinta-feira (22), diante do Cuiabá, fora de casa. Caso o Flamengo vença sua partida, tomará a vice-liderança do Alviverde. Na próxima rodada, neste domingo (25), o Verdão recebe o Fogão no Allianz Parque, no que pode ser um duelo pela liderança.

Tudo sobre

Abel FerreiraBrasileirãoPalmeiras

Shubman Gill dug deep for his slowest ODI hundred and India’s slowest in the last six years to see India through a tricky chase of 229 that must have brought back memories of their 2-0 series defeat to Sri Lanka last August on similarly slow tracks. Despite a quick 69-run opening stand, India were tested by a target that was kept to 229 in the main by Mohammed Shami, who took his sixth ODI five-for and became the quickest man to 200 ODI wickets in terms of balls bowled to get there.Both sides will rue missed opportunities in their Champions Trophy opener. Bangladesh won a crucial toss on a tired pitch with no dew expected to make chasing easier, but they got off to such a poor start that they needed three dropped catches and a superlative fighting hundred from Towhid Hridoy to stay in the contest. India had Bangladesh down at 35 for 5, Axar Patel was on a hat-trick, and Rohit Sharma dropped a sitter, and that was followed by two more lives for the record-breaking sixth-wicket pair. It allowed Bangladesh to get to a total that denied India a net-run-rate boost, which can prove crucial if they happen to lose one of their three matches.Related

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India will still consider this a banana peel survived, having misread the conditions and wanted to field first should they have won the toss. On a slow pitch with no assistance for the quicks, they were gifted early wickets through some indiscriminate hitting. Bangladesh possibly felt the new ball was the best time to bat: they didn’t wait for a bad ball on offer and kept losing wickets. The first three fell to ambitious shots to plain good-length bowling with little seam.Bangladesh were 35 for 3 when Axar was introduced in the ninth over. Tanzid Hasan, the only batter who had looked comfortable, played him for the turn and paid the ultimate price with an outside edge. Mushfiqur Rahim, arguably batting too late at No. 6 especially in the absence of the injured Mahmudullah, played the original line, and was done in by the rare one that turned. Axar slowed down the hat-trick ball, Jaker Ali obliged with an edge, which Rohit spilled.Soon Hardik Pandya dropped Hridoy on 23 in Kuldeep Yadav’s first over. Scoring runs was still a task on the sluggish surface, more than ten overs went without a boundary, but also India went through the middle overs without a single wicket for the first time since the 2023 World Cup final. Jaker did provide an opportunity on 24 but this time KL Rahul missed the stumping off Ravindra Jadeja.

The duo found their touch deeper into the innings, but Hridoy was hampered by cramps. Shami returned to the challenging task of bowling with a short leg-side boundary but used the slower ball wide outside off to not just deny them boundaries but also collect three more wickets. A cameo from Rishad Hossain and Hridoy’s fight despite crippling cramps took Bangladesh to a total that proved competitive.Rohit continued his high-intent starts of recent times, and Gill matched him shot for shot as India raced away from the three Bangladesh quicks. Just before the field was about to spread, Rohit fell for 41 off 36 in a bid to make one last use of the field restrictions. Immediately, scoring became laborious. Even the master accumulator Virat Kohli struggled to manipulate the ball into gaps before falling to a legspinner again, this one with the letters scrambled from Rashid to Rishad.Shreyas Iyer played the conditions for a while, but once he got a couple and a boundary off Mustafizur Rahman, he over-reached and lobbed a slower ball to mid-off to be dismissed for 15 off 17. Promoted for the dual task of breaking the sequence of right-hand batters and also have an eye on the net run-rate, Axar skied a slog-sweep, failing to read the Rishad topspinner.Shubman Gill scored his slowest ODI hundred•AFP / Getty Images

The last three wickets had fallen for 75 runs and had taken 20.2 overs. You would have thought the sight of KL Rahul would have brought calm to the proceedings, but he tried an uncharacteristic hoick early on only to be dropped by Jaker, whom he had himself reprieved earlier in the day. That proved to be the last opportunity for Bangladesh even as India overcame the ghosts of the failed chases in Sri Lanka last year.The man to thank was Gill, who anchored the chase and made sure he was there at the end. He was 26 off 23 when Rohit got out, but as the conditions changed, he tightened his game and took only selective risks. His next boundary came only when the skiddy fast bowler Tanzim Hasan came back in the 32nd over. By that time had brought up his slowest half-century.Gill was content with singles off the spinners and even Mustafizur, who bowls a wicked slower ball to make use of these conditions. He scored just 30 off the 52 balls following Rohit’s dismissal, then went into middle gears before finishing it off in glory. He needed 12 out of the 19 runs to bring up a hundred, and hit a six and a four off Tanzim to get to the mark off 125 balls and take his customary bow. Rahul took India home with a six off Tanzim with 21 balls to spare.

A “relentless” star has now informed his club that he wants to join Tottenham Hotspur this summer, reporter David Ornstein has revealed.

Tottenham keen to strengthen attack despite emphatic victory

Tottenham got off to the perfect start to the new Premier League campaign, securing a 3-0 victory over Burnley, courtesy of a brace from Richarlison, before Brennan Johnson sealed all three points with a little over 25 minutes to play.

Thomas Frank will be happy with his side’s attacking display, not least because new signing Mohammed Kudus was also very impressive throughout the match, with the former West Ham United man picking up two assists.

That said, Spurs were always expected to beat a newly-promoted side, and they remain a little light on options in attacking areas, given that Son Heung-min’s 10-year stint in north London came to an end earlier this summer, while James Maddison is set for a lengthy absence.

Consequently, Frank is still eager to get a winger and attacking midfielder through the door, with Manchester City’s Savinho among the main targets out wide, while Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze could be a direct replacement for Maddison through the middle.

Speaking prior to Manchester United vs Arsenal yesterday, Ornstein has now dropped a new update on Tottenham’s pursuit of Eze, in which he suggests Frank’s side are in ongoing talks to hash out a deal.

The reporter said: “He quite possibly is still going to Tottenham, but he’s continuing to play for Palace in the meantime, which we saw with the Community Shield as well. Tottenham are pushing for his signing, but there’s no agreement yet. Eberechi Eze has told Crystal Palace that he would like to make the move there, and Palace are understanding of this.

“At 27-years-old, his contract expires in 2027. There was a release clause, it’s now expired, it was valued at £60m + £8m (£68m). I think Palace would accept a bit less but they want the right deal for them, and it’s not there yet.”

Fabrizio Romano has since added a new update, reaffirming Ornstein’s claims of Eze wanting to join but adding Daniel Levy is talking to Palace chairman Steve Parish “today” (Monday).

"Relentless" Eze could flourish at N17

The Crystal Palace star has been extremely impressive in the Premier League over a sustained period, picking up 16 goal contributions in the competition last season, and the Englishman thought he had gotten off to the perfect start to the new campaign.

Frank approves Tottenham move for "world-class" £60m Savinho alternative

Thomas Frank has now given the green light for Spurs to make a move for a winger.

1

By
Dominic Lund

Aug 18, 2025

Indeed, the 27-year-old scored a free-kick to fire the Eagles into the lead against Chelsea on Sunday, before the goal was controversially ruled out, due to an alleged infringement by Marc Guehi.

Former Palace man Joel Ward has claimed his ex-teammate’s “methodical” and “relentless” approach is the reason he has been able to establish himself at the top level, and the attacking midfielder is now ready to test himself at one of England’s biggest clubs.

As such, it is good news that Tottenham are in ongoing discussions over a deal, and it is even more promising that Eze has informed Palace of his desire to join Frank’s side.

Lamine Yamal has expressed his delight at being back fit again after a frustrating period with a groin injury. The 18-year-old missed Barcelona's games against Valencia, Newcastle United, Getafe and Real Oviedo in recent weeks but his time on the sidelines appears to be over. The winger declared he is "back" on Instagram, potentially paving the way for him to return to Hansi Flick's side.

Barcelona receive Yamal boost

The Spain international has not featured for Barca since before the September international break but his team have fared well enough without him, registering four straight victories. But on Friday, the teenager posted an Instagram reel of some of his career highlights and wrote: "Hey, I'm back."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportFlick criticises Spain over Yamal injury

Yamal picked up the groin injury earlier this month, but still joined up with the Spanish national team. The youngster then aggravated that problem while playing for his country, prompting Barca boss Flick to accuse La Roja of not taking care of their young players.

He said earlier this month: "Lamine goes to the national team with pain, didn't train, had painkillers to play, they were three goals ahead in every match, and he played 79 and 73 minutes. Between the matches, he didn't train. This is not taking care of players. Spain have the best team in the world, in every position they are unbelievably good. I am really sad about this [situation]."

The former Bayern Munich manager also admitted the communication he has with Spain boss Luis de la Fuente could be better. 

"I never really spoke with [De la Fuente]," he added. "Maybe my Spanish is not good, his English is not good, so this is a problem. Normally, the communication, because we have more players there than just Lamine, could be better. I was also on this side as a national team coach, so I know how hard this job sometimes is, but the communication with the clubs was always good."

Spain boss dismisses Flick's Yamal concerns

Despite having his groin complaint, Yamal played in Spain's World Cup qualifying wins against Bulgaria and Turkey earlier this month. Following those victories, De la Fuente said he neither remembered nor cared about Flick's complaints.

He stated, "Right now, I don't remember what Flick said. Neither is it of any interest to me."

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GettyWill Yamal return for Barcelona straight away?

With Yamal seemingly ready for selection, Flick will have to decide whether to give him some game time against Real Sociedad on Sunday in La Liga as they try to keep pace with top of the table Real Madrid, who are two points clear. The German coach may have an eye on their mouthwatering Champions League clash at home to defending champions Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday. It remains to be seen when Yamal will return.

It is remarkable just how quickly the sentiment around a football club can change, and West Ham United are the perfect example.

Just a week ago, it felt like the Hammers’ world was caving in, as two Premier League defeats in a row and a lack of transfer activity allowed talk of relegation to emerge.

However, a thumping win away to Nottingham Forest and some brilliant deals late in the window have given fans real cause for optimism.

One of Graham Potter’s most exciting new additions is Mateus Fernandes, although even with his lofty price tag, there is a player already in the squad who’s worth millions more.

Fernandes and West Ham's best signings

There are still most certainly holes in the squad, and players who probably should have been moved on, but all in all, West Ham ended up having a pretty good summer transfer window.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

It may have started in a frustratingly slow fashion, but the Hammers have made several exciting and intriguing additions to the squad.

For example, picking up the Premier League-proven and versatile Kyle Walker-Peters is excellent business, and despite only making three appearances thus far, he has already picked up an assist.

Likewise, while there were plenty of people unhappy or worried about the decision to sign the injury-prone Callum Wilson on a one-year deal, his goal against Forest proved he still has the ability to be a useful option this year.

Yet, the three most exciting signings are undoubtedly El Hadji Malick Diouf, who already has two assists to his name, the “elegant” Soungoutou Magassa, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, and Fernandes, who made his first start on Sunday.

The Olhão-born star cost the club around £40m, and while that is undoubtedly a lot of money for a 21-year-old, he managed to rack up nine goal involvements for a terrible Southampton side last season.

Moreover, while it will likely take time for him to truly settle into the side, he will be afforded it thanks to some of the other offensive stars in the squad, including one who is worth even more than him.

The West Ham star worth millions more than Fernandes

While they didn’t necessarily show it in their first three games of the season, West Ham have a handful of really quite talented players in their squad now.

Yet, when it comes to their most important player – the one who gets fans on their feet, puts fear in the hearts of opposition defenders, and can win games by himself – there is a name that stands out above the rest: Jarrod Bowen.

Since joining the Hammers in January 2020, under former manager David Moyes, the Englishman has been a leading light for the club, and his valuation reflects this.

For example, the CIES Football Observatory now value him at up to €55m, which converts to about £48m, or around £8m more than Fernandes cost.

However, you could easily argue that the former Hull City star should be worth even more, as, over the years, he has become a lean, mean, output machine for the Irons.

So far, the 28-year-old has scored 75 goals and provided 52 assists for the East Londoners in 242 appearances, totalling 19251 minutes.

Appearances

242

Minutes

19251′

Goals

75

Assists

52

Goal Involvements per Match

0.52

Minutes per Goal Involvement

151.58′

Points per Game

1.47

In other words, the attacking dynamo has averaged a goal involvement every 1.90 games, or every 151.58 minutes.

Those sorts of numbers would be seriously impressive in a team challenging at the very top of the table, but they’re made all the more remarkable considering how much West Ham have struggled over the years.

Finally, on top of putting the ball in the back of the net, the Leominster-born monster has become a talismanic figure for the club, as, unlike some of his prior teammates, he has remained loyal and, as former professional turned pundit Michael Brown puts it, been a “real leader.”

Ultimately, it’s been a good summer of business for West Ham this year, but their most crucial player remains Bowen.

Better than Igor: West Ham make last-gasp approach to sign "incredible" CB

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Pakistan’s white-ball coach, who has worked with Bangladesh in the past, believes their seam stocks are strong

Andrew Fidel Fernando26-Feb-2025

Taskin Ahmed has rejuvenated his game over the past several years•ICC via Getty Images

Pakistan have, by far, the longer and more varied pace-bowling tradition. But don’t count out the Bangladesh bowlers on Thursday. It is not only the Bangladesh camp that is saying this. Pakistan’s white-ball coach Aaqib Javed, who has worked with Bangladesh quicks in the past, believes so too.Bangladesh have four big options. The tallest, fastest and youngest is Nahid Rana. They also have the experienced Taskin Ahmed, who has rejuvenated his game over the past several years. Mustafizur Rahman brings the left-arm angle and variety. And Tanzim Hasan has control and hustle. Javed is certainly not taking Bangladesh’s quicks lightly. They had already been good in Rawalpindi last year, though in a Test match. Taskin and Nahid had collectively taken nine wickets in a Bangladesh win.”I watched Bangladesh fast bowlers bowling against Pakistan here – and the way they bowled in West Indies – and I think they have very skilful fast bowlers,” Javed said. “Especially Nahid Rana. He’s got height, and he’s got pace. Taskin is a very skilful bowler. Another one is Mustafiz, who is very experienced, and he’s got all the varieties. I’m glad even the Bangladeshi fast bowlers are coming good.”Related

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This is likely the best seam-bowling unit Bangladesh have ever brought to a tournament, though their batters have scored too few runs to really give them a chance of imposing themselves. Perhaps, rain allowing, that can change on Thursday.In fact, given Jasprit Bumrah is almost inarguably the best white-ball bowler in the world (though he is not playing this tournament), and Sri Lanka also has a pace battery that runs deeper than ever (though they are not playing in this tournament), this is the closest thing to a fast-bowling golden age South Asia has ever had.Bangladesh assistant coach Mohammad Salahuddin agreed that Bangladesh’s seam stocks were strong. Some of this is down to the country having switched to the Dukes ball in their first-class cricket over the last few seasons. The Dukes ball has a prouder seam that tends to last longer through the innings, which encourages fast bowling. Salahuddin was excited about the prospect of more Bangladesh quicks coming through the system into international cricket.”We now have plenty of fast bowlers in Bangladesh who can perform at the international level,” he said. “We have youngsters coming up too. It is a good sign that our fast bowlers can dominate teams in these flat tracks. I feel Taskin, Rana and Mustafiz is our best bowling attack. They are learning, but, hopefully, one day they will dominate world cricket.”Though Bangladesh, like Pakistan, have lost both matches so far and are out of the Champions Trophy, Salahuddin said there was plenty to be gained from the match.”It is definitely a dead rubber since there’s no consequence for either team. But we are here to play a tournament, and this is our last match, so we want to see the players do well,” he said. “We have plenty of room for improvement, so we don’t want to repeat the mistakes from the previous matches. I think every match is important for the players. It might be a turning point for a particular player or even our team. This might be the end of this tournament, but the players have a future ahead of them.”

Tottenham Hotspur addressed numerous key issues throughout the summer transfer window after what was a dismal Premier League campaign in 2024/25.

The Europa League success glossed over the embarrassment suffered in England’s top-flight, but Thomas Frank was brought into the club to replace Ange Postecoglou.

The Dane has been tasked with catapulting the Lilywhites up the table, being handed over £100m worth of funds to land the additions he craved in North London.

Xavi Simons, Joao Palhinha and Mohammed Kudus were the three high-profile additions made by the 51-year-old – with the latter the most expensive at £55m.

However, all three of the additions were made for a cheaper sum than North London rivals Arsenal paid for the signature of midfielder Declan Rice back in the summer of 2023.

The suffering Declan Rice has inflicted on Spurs

The rivalry in North London has been one that has been fiercely contested in recent years – with Spurs often having the opportunity to laugh at the Gunners, given their recent respective trophy tallies.

Mikel Arteta’s side have finished second in the Premier League in each of the last three seasons, unable to end their drought despite having £110m star Rice at their disposal.

The midfielder is unbeaten in 59% of his games against the Lilywhites, with many of the Spurs faithful wishing they had a player of his quality within their own ranks.

He’s notched 16 goals and 20 assists during his two years at the Emirates – subsequently ranking him in the 80th percentile of all midfielders in England’s top-flight last campaign.

The 26-year-old also ranked in the 86th percentile for key passes per 90 (1.9) and the 95th percentile for crosses completed per 90 (5.3).

Such numbers highlight the creative threat he possesses – something which is massively lacking in a deep-lying position with Frank’s current first-team squad.

However, the hierarchy may have made a mistake in allowing one talent to depart the club, especially given his impressive numbers since departing the side in recent years.

The former Spurs star who could’ve been their own Rice

During Daniel Levy’s tenure at Spurs, the club have been known to make multiple mistakes in the transfer market – subsequently offloading players who have gone on to achieve huge things away from the club.

Giovani Lo Celso was a player with huge expectations in North London, after the Argentine joined the club from Real Betis back in the summer of 2020.

However, he only registered ten goals in over 100 appearances for the Lilywhites, a tally fewer than Rice, who’s been known to operate in a deeper position for the Gunners.

He’s since matched such a tally in just 38 outings since returning to the Spanish outfit on a permanent basis – with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg also achieving similar feats in Marseille.

The Danish international joined Spurs back in the summer of 2020 from Southampton, subsequently spending four years in North London – racking up just shy of 200 appearances for the club.

The 30-year-old was a consistent presence in the first-team squad, but ultimately fell out of favour in Postecoglou’s system and joined the Ligue 1 side on a temporary basis in the summer of 2024.

Hojbjerg subsequently left permanently this window, with such a decision now appearing to be a mistake – especially after Frank’s appointment in North London.

The Dane previously managed his compatriot at youth levels and raved about his qualities, stating that the star “could be a world-class defensive midfielder”.

It’s safe to say he’s lived up to the hype from the early days of his career, subsequently being labelled as a similar player to Arsenal star Rice, by FBref.

When comparing their respective stats from 2024/25, Hojbjerg managed to outperform the Englishman across the board, further highlighting the mistake the hierarchy made in allowing him to depart.

The Dane thrived in possession last campaign, completing more passes into the final third per 90 (7.8) and completing more of the passes he attempted (92%).

Games played

30

35

Goals & assists

6

11

Progressive passes

8.9

6.1

Pass accuracy

92%

83%

Passes into final third

7.8

4.3

Tackles won

1.5

0.8

% of tackles won

54%

41%

Interceptions made

1.4

0.8

Recoveries made

5.8

4.9

Such talents would’ve made him an excellent fit under Frank’s guidance, with the Lilywhites currently boasting the seventh-highest average possession rate in the Premier League throughout 2025/26.

However, out of possession, the former Spurs star was just as impressive, winning more of the tackles he entered (54%) whilst also making more interceptions per 90 (1.4).

The stats produced by Hojbjerg highlight the impressive box-to-box qualities he possesses, with such figures undoubtedly highlighting how much of a mistake Levy made in offloading him.

£17m for a player of his quality is nothing short of an embarrassment – with such a fee far too cheap given the levels he’s produced since his move to France.

Frank will no doubt be gutted he’s not had the chance to work with the midfielder once again, especially given his ability to outperform Rice after departing North London.

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